Humidifier



Oct. 18 1927.

T. D. ULRICH HUMIDIFIER Filed Deo. 24. 1925 z m w 7 f h. IV. no f mi #iHwn m O y@ f www; w vwm z O L ,f a 1. Wu J w "y, r !lil l l @l 11| .14um.. T M O :.w @l 0 n?! O 41H 9 o0 9 0 /xu e 7 2 /J 9 3 O /J. Mmm oooooMMM 0 J AU ooo o 2 7000 o JI' J 3m J f m. OOnYOO 5 y/ Z J W e m 41,646,329 Qt.' 18 1927 T. D. ULRICH y Filed DeoK. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2*Tam- Patented Oct. .718, 1927.

UNITED STATES N j 1,646,329 PATENT OFFICE.

TOMEY D. ULRICH, OF SHARPSVILLE, INDIANA, .ASSIGNOR OF ONEQHAL T LYDIA`M.

GERBER, OF ARGENTA, ILLINOIS.

HUMIDIFIER.

Application led December 24, 1925.` Serial No. 77,617.

My invention-relates to Vimprovements in devices for cooling orhumidifying air, the principal object being to provide a new andimproved device of this character in which :i novel provision is madefor moistening air which is induced to flow through a casing, by anelectric fan or some equivalent means.

A still further object of the invention is to make provision forsupplying cooling air to the fan motor, from the exterierfof thehumidifying casing, so that said motor will be kept cool and 'dry andcannot be affected by the moisture of the air within the casing. f Withthe'foregoing and minor objects in View, the invention resides in thenovel subject matter'` hereinafter describedV and claimed,'thedescription being supplemented bythe accompanying drawings.

f Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a humidifier constructed in accordancewith myinvention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view asindicatedby line 8-3 of`Fig.2. Y .Y

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section en line 419-4 of Fig. 3.Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view as vindicatedby line 5-5 of Fig.3. j j

Figure is a perspective view of a frame structureiused'to` support oneof the air mois tening, absorbentmembers.

" The form of construction selected for illustration in the presentapplicationl maybe considered as preferred, with the understandinghowever that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variationsmay be inade. Y

The numeral 7 desigpatesa vertically disfposed casing prefera ly formedof sheet .metal, saidcasing being closed at its bottom 'asiat' 8, beingformed with an arched top 9, and having a four-sided wall 10. The lowerportion of this wall is formed with air inlet perforations 11 and Vsaidlower portion is equipped with aperforated door 12 forgiving access tocertain interior parts, permit ting removal and reinsertion of suchparts. The upper portion of the side wall is formed with a relativelylarge air outlet 'opening 13 which is `preferably surrounded by anoutwardly projecting annular' flange 1,4. Directly opposite this opening13, is a comparatively small opening 15, through the casing wall'10, fora purpose to appear.

"Disposedwithin the confines of the flange y 14,is a Vfan 16 whichisdetachably connected by a set screw or the4 like 17 with the shaft ofan electric motor 18, the latterbeing suitably supported in the upperportion ofthe casing 7. In thecon'struction disclosed, the motor 18 isprovided with `upstanding ears 19 secured bya bolt 20 to a pair ofplates 2l which project vertically downward froml the casing top 9.Between these plates, I posi.

tion the current conducting wires 22 for the motor, said lwires beingconnected with an appropriate rheostat or other formof switch 28. Vhenthe fan 1G is driven, it induces entrance of air into the casing'`through the perforated lower portion thereof and causes discharge ofsuch air through the opening 13 and provision is made for moisteningthsair. As this humidified airlwould have an injurious effect upon themotor 18, I do not permit itto pass through the motor casing. Instead,I. provide a horizontall disposed air-conducting tube 24. which lea sfrom the opening to the inner end of the motor 18, the inner end of saidtube preferablysurrounding the motor casing and Vbeing notched as at toreceive the usualbrushholders and adjusters 26.

Within the casing 7, between the air inlet and outlet means, I provide awater tou h 27, this troughbeing preferably formediy extending ahorizontal flange 28 inwardly from the casing wall 10, and providing theinner edge of this iange with an upstanding annular flange 29. Anotherywater container, in the form of a pan 30, is provided in the lowerportion of the casing 7 the latter pref- Jerablyhaving perforatedsupports 31 for said pan. The supports 31 are preferably in .the form oftwo right angular metal strips arranged across the bottom 8 of Vthecasing `and adjacent two opposite sides thereof asy shown in crosssection in Fig. 3 and in dotted `lines in Fig. 5 and one of which isshown in side elevation in Fig. 4, the perforations being in thevertical sides of the supports as shown at 31a. A reticulate` sleeve 32of absorbent material, passes over the vertical flange 29 and has `itsupper end extended downwardly into the watertrough 27, this upper end ofthe sleeve being preferably connected to a wire hoop 33. This hoopsnugly surrounds the flange 27 and holds the sleeve in place, and ifdesired, said hoop may be split to permit of its being readily discon-Ynect'ed'from the flange. 29. The lower end e i Y thisis preferably doneby disconnecting or ldetachinga fan guard 37 which isengaged" normallywith the flange 14, then removing t the fan 16 from thev motor shaft,inserting rosive wire.

of the sleeve 32 is 'positioned in the water pan and it will be obviousthat the water from this pan and from the trough 27 will keep saidsleeve effectively moistened, so that all air passing through it will bethoroughly humidified.

Ipreferably Vprovide additional air mois- Y tening means around thesleeve. 32, said the bottoml of the pan 30, soV as to beeffectivelyrmoistened by fthe Y water from the latter. The air enteringthe casing may readily pass" through the strands of this absorbent. walland must vthen pass through thereticulate;sleeve 32, before it can bedischarged from the casing by the fan/16. In traveling linthis manner,the air is ad.- vantageousb7 moistened and cooled, so thathiglrefiiciency can be obtained from the den Inorder tofillvthepan 30,it is simply neeessaryto open the door 12, and access to the opening 13,or by withdrawing the tube 24 and pouring water into said trough, fromla suitable# container `inserted through the until the latterwill'clearthe pan 30, then duce an unusually casmg.-

opening' Whenever the moistening means should be-removed from thecasing,

one hand through the-'opening 13 and. lifting the sleeve 32' and themoistener 34--35-36,

removing the latter through the open door 12 and later removing saidlmoistening dejvicethrough thesame opening; The hoop may .bev disengagedfrom the flange or wall 29 and withdrawn through the opening 13,- withthe sleeve Y The lower edge of .theopening 13 is preferably straight asshown in Fig2 andis lconsiderably above the water level of the trough27,1as will be clear from Fig. 3. There is thus no dangerof the yfan 16suckingv ordrawing water directly from this trough. and this is ratherimportant as positioning of the fan inthe flange 14, causes it toprostrong suction through the Whenthe fan16 is in motion air is drawninto the lower port-ion of the casing through the air inlets 11 andiipvvardly`-between the 1 absorbent w'rappings y36 and` through Vtheretioulate sleeve 32 into the upper portion of the casing from whichvitkk is disehar ed' through the outlet openingg13` in a umidifiedcondition. l the supports 31 permit the air drawn vthrough the lowerperforations 11 ofthe sides of the casing adjacent to the supports tocirculate freely beneath the panu30and pass upwardly betweenthe panandgthe easing. y v y Excellent results-have been obtained from thedetails of constructionfherein disclosed.

They are therefore preferably followed,but`

ywithin the scope of the invention asclaimed,

numerous variations'rnay be made.`

Iclaim: 'l 1 ,Y 1. In a humidifier, a ,casing4 adapted to direct acurrent of air therethrough, said casing having air inletmeans in itslower portion and, air outlet meansinl its upper.

The perforations ,31a in ortion a watertroufrh around4 the Casin J a vwall,v a water pan'removably supported in the lower portion of theeasing and spaced therefrom, a reticulate .absorbent sl'eevesur-Vrounded by said vtrough and having its upper f Y end turned downwardlyinto the trough,the lower end of said sleeve bein `disposed lin said panand means for rcreatlng a current of air through the device.y Y

2.. In a humidifier, a casing adapted to direct a current of airtherethrough,said

casing having air inlet means in .its lower 1 portion and air outletmeans in its upper portion, a water trough-.around the Casin wall, awaterpanf in the lower portion o said casing and spaced therefrom,supports in the bottom ofthe easing on'which vsaid pan is removablysupportechsaidv supports having perforations topermitithe passage of air'therethrough `and beneaththe pan,lat,cyV

` lindriealv frame `disposed .in and projecting upwardly .above the pan,absorbent material carried by said frame, areticulate absorbent" sleevesurrounded by and suspended .from

said trough andv having its upperpendgturne'd Y downwardlyv in the;trough,l the *lower portion Aof q said sleeve v extending'. downwardlywithin said frame and `having its` lowerendv disposedyin said pan andmeans for creating a current of air through the device; y 3. In ahumidifier, Va `casing adaptedto direct" a current of air4 therethrough,said easing having air inlet means in its vlower portion and air outletmeans in its upper portion, a water trough` around the easing wall, a'water panremovably supported in therefrom, a frame ldisposed in andprojectthe lower portionof the casing and spaced ing 'upwardly abovesaidpan, said frame lcomprising upper and lower hoops andupright staysconnecting them, said hoops beingof zig-zag formation, a strandedabsorb-` ent wound around and extending `between said hoops, the strandsof said absorbent being held against creeping by the zig-zag formationof the hoops, a reticulated absorbent sleeve surrounded by and suspendedfrom said trough and having its upper end turned down into the trough,the lower portion of said sleeve extending downwardly within thestranded absorbent of said frame and having its lower end 'disposed insaid pan, and means for creating a current of air through the device. p

4. In a humidifier, a casing adapted to direct a current of airtherethrough, said Casing having air inlet perforations in the lowerportion of its side walls and an air outlet opening in its upperportion, a water trough within said casing, said trough comprising ahorizontal flange extending inwardly from the side walls of the casingand an upstanding flange on the inner edge of said horizontal flange, awater pan removably supported in the lower portion of the casing, saidpan being of less diameter than the casing and spaced from theperforated side walls and above the bottom thereof, a perforated `doorin the lower portion of the casing for access to the interior parts andpermitting removal and insertion of said parts, a reticulated absorbentsleeve surrounded by said trough and having its upper end turneddownwardly into said trough, the lower end of said sleeve being disposedin said pan, and means for effecting the passage of air through thecasing from said air inlet perforations to the air outlet opening. "ff

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

`- TOMEY D. ULRICH.

